Frequently Asked Questions

Admission: Requirements & Application

  1. How many rounds of MSc admission are there in a year? When can I apply for the MSc programmes?
    There is only ONE round of admission per year.  For September 2025 entry, please refer to the below application period.  Applications are processed on a rolling basis.  Review of applications will start before the deadline and continue until all places are filled.  Early applications are therefore strongly encouraged.
     
    Programme  Application period

    MSc Finance
    MSc Financial Engineering

     September 16, 2024 - May 31, 2025

     

  2. Do I need to have a degree in "business-related" fields in order to apply for the MSc programmes?
    Applicants who have an outstanding academic record in a non-finance or non-business major are also considered.
     
  3. Would I be admitted to your MSc programme if I have neither any business-related work experience nor a business-related Bachelor’s degree?
    Applicants who have an outstanding academic record will also be considered.  It will be advantageous for this group of applicants to submit their GMAT or GRE scores.
     
  4. Do I need to have relevant work experience to apply for the MSc programmes?
    Applicants with more than one year of work experience in the industry are preferred.  However, we will also consider applicants who have outstanding academic records without relevant work experience.
     
  5. Is there any minimum GPA score requirement?
    There is no strict GPA score requirement.  However, academic qualification is one of the selection criteria.  Other criteria include relevant work experience, analytical and communication skills, and the applicant’s motivation and commitment.
     
  6. What should I write in the Applicant Statement?
    The applicant statement may include the following:
    - Why are you interested in applying for our programme?
    - How does the programme fit into your career path?
    - Why do you think that you will do well in our programme?
     
  7. Can CFP programme be regarded as equivalent to a bachelor's degree for meeting the admission requirement?
    The CFP programme cannot be regarded as equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
     
  8. Can my 3-month summer internship in a bank be regarded as the work experience required for the programmes?
    It can be considered as part of work experience. Students with less than one year of full-time work experience will also be considered if they have a very strong academic background.
     
  9. I am in the final year of my undergraduate degree programme. Can I apply for the MSc programmes?
    You should submit your application stating your expected graduation date and upload the most updated transcript of your study in the admission application system.  Conditional offers may be given to applicants, stipulating the successful completion of their current study as a requirement for admission.
     

  10. Would you provide a checklist for my application?
    A complete set of application submitted online should include:
    - an application form
    - an applicant statement with not more than 500 words (insert it into the box provided in the system)
    - successful payment of application fee

    Besides, applicants are required to upload the below supporting documents when submitting their applications online.  This can shorten the processing time of each application.
    - award certificate* [or graduation certificate (毕业证书)* and degree certificate (学位证书)* in Chinese version for
      academic qualifications obtained in mainland China]
    - online verification report of the degree award [issued by CDGDC (中国学位网) for academic qualifications
      obtained in mainland China]
    -     official academic transcript at graduation / the latest version
    - official explanations of the GPA grading system, showing the maximum GPA obtainable (e.g. A=4.0) if a 100-mark
       system is not adopted (normally the information on grading system is found/presented on the back page of the
       academic transcripts)
    - transcripts and certificates that are not in English should be accompanied by an official certified translation
    - official English test results+, such as CET-6, IELTS, TOEFL test results
    - any other supporting documents (such as GMAT/GRE score report^)

    * If you are a final year student, you are required to upload the award certificate/degree certificate (学位证书) and graduation certificate (毕业证书) by mid-August.

    + For applicants who obtained their bachelor's degree from institutions where the medium of instruction is not English. 

       TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the commencement of the University's
       application period.   

       Applicants are required to arrange for the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityU is 3401.

    ^ We do not require GMAT/GRE scores. Nevertheless, the more information/documents you provide us, the more accurately we can evaluate whether our programmes suit you. Hence, we will consider your
        GMAT/GRE scores if you choose to submit them (this is especially true for applicants without sufficient relevant work experience).

    Please note that the submitted documents will not be returned.  Original copies of the documents (including CityU qualifications and public examination results) will be required for verification at a later time, upon request by the University.  Provision of any false or misleading information or failure to supply the full documentation for verification will lead to disqualification of the admission application and any offer/enrolment made will be rescinded.  All fees paid will not be refunded.
     
  11. Is there any requirement on GRE/GMAT scores?  Do I need to provide any reference letters?
    We do not require GRE/GMAT scores or reference letters.  Nevertheless, the more information/documents you provide us, the more accurately we can evaluate whether our programmes suit you.  Hence, we will consider your GRE/GMAT scores or reference letter(s) if you choose to submit them.
     
  12. Is there any admission interview? When will I receive the admission result?
    Application Schedule
    - Interviews for short-listed applicants, if any              (January – May 2025)
    - Notification of results                                                     (April – August 2025)
     
  13. What does the “Cross Referral” mean in the application form? If I want to apply for more than 1 programme, should I mark “Cross Referral” or make separate applications?
    The College of Business has a cross-referral system that allows unsuccessful applications to be referred to another programme in the College for consideration. Applicants who would like to benefit from this arrangement should indicate the choice.   As consideration of referred applications will come later than normal applications, you are advised to submit a separate application if you wish to receive early review of your applications from the other programmes.

Class Schedule and Programme Duration

  1. When and where are the classes held?
    Most classes are held on weekday evenings (7:00-9:50 pm) and weekends at the Kowloon Tong Main Campus.  Occasionally, some class meetings are held on weekday daytime for full-time students.
     
  2. How many semesters are there in an academic year? How many credit units do I have to take in each semester?
    In an academic year, there are two regular semesters (Semester A & Semester B) and a Summer Term.
     
    Semester A Semester B Summer Term
    September to December January to May June to August

    The programmes are offered in a combined mode for local students, i.e., students can study full-time or part-time mode of study in different semesters without seeking approval from the University.
    Non-local students will be admitted to the programmes either in a full-time or part-time mode of study.  They must maintain the appropriate study load in each semester unless there is a change in their visa status.
    In each semester, full time students must register 12-18 credit units while part-time students must register 3-11 credit units.  
     
  3. Can I take one elective course offered by other departments in the College of Business in Summer term?  What is the teaching schedule?
    Students may choose one elective course available from departments of the College of Business in a regular semester/Summer term.  Please note that in Summer term, a very limited number of courses are usually offered and are delivered in an intensive mode, i.e. 2 class meetings in a week is required for 6-7 weeks. 
     
  4. What is the duration of the MSc programmes? Am I required to complete the programme within a certain period of time?
    Under normal study load, full time and part-time students will complete the MSc programmes in 1 year and 2 years respectively.
    According to the regulations of the University, students are required to complete the MSc programme within the maximum period of study which is 2.5 years for full-time students and 5 years for part-time students.

Credit Transfer and Course Exemption

  1. Can the credits that I earned be transferred to the MSc programme?
    Credit units earned in a fully completed postgraduate degree programme of any recognized institutions within a reasonable time-frame would be considered.  Normally, students are expected to have a grade B or above for the courses.  Applications for credit transfer will not be considered for credits earned in a postgraduate diploma programme.  Besides, credit transfer and course exemption are not applicable to elective courses.  Transfer credits will not be counted in the calculation of the Grade Point Average and classification of awards.
     
  2. How many credit units can be transferred to the MSc programme?
    Only credit units earned in a fully completed postgraduate degree programme may be transferred. A maximum of 9 credit units can be transferred from a completed postgraduate degree programme at CityU or any other recognized universities. Students granted credit transfer are required to complete at least 21 credit units from the postgraduate courses offered by the Department of Economics and Finance and approved by the Programme Leader/Director.  Credit transfer will be considered on a case by case basis.
     
  3. What are the differences between course exemption and credit transfer?
    Students granted a course exemption means that they do not have to take the exempted course.  However, they have to take another course to replace the course exempted. Hence, students still have to earn 30 credit units to fulfill the graduation requirements even though course exemption is granted.  Credit transfer means that students can transfer the credits they have earned for an equivalent course from a completed postgraduate degree programme at a recognized university.  Hence, students granted credit transfer may be able to shorten the duration of their studies.
     
  4. When should I apply for credit transfer/course exemption application?
    Applications for credit transfer/course exemption for work completed prior to entry to the University must be made in the first semester following your admission, before the deadline set by the University.  The application period is announced by Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies before the semester starts.
     

Payment of Application Fee and Tuition Fees

  1. How do I pay for the application fee from overseas?
    The application fee for online admission application can be paid by credit card (VISA or Master Card or UnionPay).  No paper application will be accepted.
     
  2. How much is the tuition fee for the new 2025 entry? What is the tuition fee schedule?
    The tuition fee for 2025 entry is HK$334,500 (HK$11,150 per credit unit x 30 credit units). 

    In order to accept the admission offers, new students have to pay the non-refundable Acceptance Fee (equivalent to 6 credit units) which will be credited towards the tuition fee upon your enrolment in the Semester A (the first semester).  Then, the balance of the tuition fee for the Semester A (first semester of your study) will be paid by end of September.  
    For Semester B, the tuition fee is payable in 2 installments, the 1st installment (equivalent to 2 credit units) and the 2nd installment (balance of the tuition fee for Semester B) should be settled in early January and mid-February respectively. 
     
    An e-statement is available at AIMS (under "Student Record" > "My Finance") about two to three weeks before the payment deadline.

Financial Supports

  1. Are there any other financial supports available for students?
    Local students can apply for a non-means-tested loan from the HKSAR Government, please check with the Student Development Services for details.
    For MSF programme,     meritorious local students may be invited to submit applications for UGC Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme which provides subsidies to awardees.  Details please refer to https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/taught-postgraduate-programmes/fellowships-scheme. 

Student Residence

  1. Do non-local students have to arrange accommodation in Hong Kong by themselves?
    Non-local students should be well alerted that they have to arrange their own off-campus accommodation.  No on-campus bed space will be allocated to them.
     
  2. Where can non-local students obtain information about off-campus accommodation?
    Some off-campus accommodation information is available at the Student Residence Office's website at https://www.cityu.edu.hk/sro/htm/e_off-campus.htm for your reference.